


The Story of Knockturn

by Violetmaid



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Activism, Bigotry & Prejudice, Knockturn Alley, Original Character(s), of a sort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-07
Updated: 2014-12-07
Packaged: 2018-02-28 12:03:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2731778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violetmaid/pseuds/Violetmaid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Where did Knockturn Alley come from? Why did a street with shops on it become such a dangerous and forbidden place?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Story of Knockturn

**Author's Note:**

> 20 feet is about 6m according to google, I have no idea why I used feet instead of metres in here as I don't use feet, at all, in my life.

The three siblings stared at the small alley off the main road. Around 20 feet long and half wide it was not the biggest alley. Covered in dirt and trash it was not the cleanest alley but it was perfect.

"Absolutely perfect" the sister, with grey hair but a young face, laughed delightfully. They had been looking for so long just to find it was under their noses all this time.

The older brother, with hair as black as the deepest night, studied the ley lines, tugged at his earring, there was enough magic here to support the enchantments he would need to cast to stop everything collapsing.

The younger brother, with hair as white as new snow, ran his hand along the wall, visions of what their shop would look like already coursing through his mind.

Permission was easy, the ministry practically bent backwards to accommodate the three. Who would want that alley anyway? It was an eyesore, nobody else wanted it and it would keep those three out of trouble.

Within a week the alley was signed over to their care.

The sister cast the protective enchantments, working with a speed that spoke of long practice. The younger brother was more interested in designing their shop, creating intricate carvings to decorate the front and arranging the goods on floating wooden shelves.

The older brother began expanding, both above and below. He followed the ley lines as they twisted and turned and slowly a network of twisted streets appeared.

The three worked tirelessly until finally it was complete, but for one thing. Slowly the sign was created, shaped by their combined magic. The name of their shop being chosen by magic herself.

The Curio Collective

All Welcome

And then they sent word out. It was done, come see, and the people came. And the people looked and bought. And some? Some stayed, moving behind and under the shop, creating homes out of nothing.

And the siblings aged.

New shops appeared. More people arrived, the alley grew, streets becoming twisted and buildings leaning into each other whispering of times past.

And the siblings aged.

The underground was expanded when people came running. Looking for safety. Children were born and the streets were filled with laughter.

And the siblings aged.

Laws were created and history rewritten.

And the siblings aged.

Diagon Alley grew larger and Gringotts was opened. People still came and people still stayed.

And still the siblings aged.

Laws became restrictive. Magics were banned. Hunts began. More people arrived, and expansion began again.

And the siblings grew old.

The ministry suspected something was different about the dusty old shop but the siblings had faded from memory and their people were protected.

Time passed and the siblings aged, their magic grew weaker. Until one day their magic faded entirely. Without their magic to sustain the shop it faded, as though it had never existed, leaving the alley open but even then the siblings protected their people and the enchantments held.

The ministry tried to close down the alley but it was too late. Knockturn was here to stay, over time the memory of the small shop that had started it all faded except for stories told by the old to the young and it was as if the alley had always been there.

And if you're brave enough, go deep enough into the Alley, you will come across a courtyard. And in the courtyard there will be a statue, always looking as if it was just made, untouched by time. The three siblings, young as the day their shop opened, set in stone, for as long as the alley stood.

Below them were words:

We saw but were children.

(Why can't we play with them?)

They said we were too young to understand.

We saw but were teenagers.

(It doesn't make them criminals)

They said the adults knew what they were doing.

We saw but were young.

(More laws?)

The said to listen and respect their elders.

But how could we?

When we knew what they were doing was wrong.

So, we planned.

And we looked.

We built a shop.

The ones in power smiled.

They thought we had given up. 

But looks can be deceiving.

We hadn't given up.

By the time they found out it was too late.

Knockturn was here to stay.

Sometimes people will stumble upon the statue but they won't care, it was just a statue, in Knockturn no less. But sometimes, someone will look, read and think.

On a day like any other a red head stared at the words, he had stumbled upon the statue by accident, he had just wanted find out what all the fuss was about Knockturn.

Walking out of Knockturn he never noticed his Mother until she descended upon him like a vulture, screeching about the dangers of Knockturn and just wait till his Father heard about this.

The teenager didn't listen, neither did he notice the people staring, his mind was on the statue. Tugging on his ear the red head wondered if he would look as good with an earring.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a one-shot for a fanfic currently in the works, in other words it'll be up in a decade or two. Bonus if you can guess the Weasley at the end.


End file.
